Downtown Crime Watch: Store HIt for Second Time

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$2K STOLEN FROM WALLET

Last Wednesday, Feb. 1, a 55-year-old New Jersey woman took out $2,000 in cash from a Brooklyn ATM before getting on the subway at Court Street. When she got off at City Hall she realized her wallet-and all her cash-was missing. The woman told police that she had only opened the bag once, to put her scarf away. Other missing items included a YMCA membership card and a NYC Public Library card.

MAN IN SUBWAY CONCEALS BOXCUTTERS

Sometimes when a petty item is stolen, it's better to step down than engage with the thief. Early in the morning, around 4:15 a.m., last Saturday, a 29-year-old man was arrested for not only stealing a $25 baseball cap but for carrying three boxcutters on him. Earlier, a 28-year-old man had reported to police that his Champion baseball cap was stolen clean off his head while waiting for the uptown 2 train. When he tried to reach for it, the thief said he had a boxcutter on him and then walked to an upper level of the station, where police shortly arrested him.

iTHEFTS CONTINUE

"If you see something, say something" has become the motto of New York City in recent years, and the phrase was given new vigor last Saturday at 5 a.m. A subway passenger reported to police that he saw a 29-year-old man steal a $250 iPhone from the jacket of a sleeping passenger. Police eventually arrested the man near Whitehall Street; according to police reports, he is known to the precinct.

A few days before, a 25-year-old woman was waiting on the C train platform around 9:30 p.m., killing time on her iPhone, when an 18-year-old man snatched it from her hands and ran off.

A RUDE AWAKENING IN ZUCCOTTI PARK

While we thought the eviction of Zuccotti Park-and the implementation of new rules by owner Brookfield Properties-had put the kibosh on sleeping in the park, it seems at least one napper went undetected. A 21-year-old woman visited the park on New Year's Eve, set her bag down and fell asleep, only to wake up and find her backpack missing. The stolen items included a $10 USB drive, $60 in books, $15 in notebooks and a Bank of America card. The woman only reported the crime to police recently.

CRIME STOPPERS: $2K REWARD TO NAB BUILDING THIEF

Police are on the hunt for a thief whose M.O. is using fire escapes and rooftop patio doors to enter people's apartments Downtown. Starting in late September of last year, the thief has used this method to steal property, which he then hides in shopping bags as he leaves the building. The perp has been caught on tape at several locations; police describe him as a Hispanic male in his late twenties to mid-thirties, with close-cut hair and a stocky build. NYPD Crime Stoppers will pay up to $2,000 in cash for information leading to his arrest. If you have any information about this case, call 1-800-577-TIPS.

STORE HIT FOR SECOND TIME

A pricey Prince Street clothing store was hit again by a band of thieves. According to police, the group snagged $2,274 in merchandise from racks at the back of the store and fled the shop on foot. An employee saw the group getting into a white Ford van with Florida license plates.

The stolen loot included $1,586 in jeans, $342 in sweatpants and $319 in shirts. The store had already been robbed in the last few weeks.